Nella Larsen, born Nella Walker, was a remarkably talented fiction writer of the late 1920s, whose literary prowess was evident in her two critically acclaimed novels.
Despite the fact that Larsen's writing career was marked by a significant amount of success, including becoming the first woman of African descent to receive a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, a third novel remained unpublished during her lifetime.
As a result of her inability to support herself solely as a writer, Larsen was forced to supplement her income by working as a nurse, a profession that became her primary source of employment.
Tragically, Larsen's life came to a premature end in 1964, at the age of 72, when she succumbed to a heart attack in her downtown New York City apartment, alone.
It wasn't until the late 20th and early 21st centuries that Larsen's work experienced a resurgence in popularity, with her second novel, "Passing," being reissued in 2001.
In recent years, Larsen's literary legacy has continued to grow, with a film adaptation of "Passing" being released in 2021 to widespread critical acclaim. The movie, directed by Rebecca Hall and starring Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga, has introduced Larsen's work to a new generation of readers and viewers.
